10 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



manuscript of the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth reports had been 

 transmitted to the Public Printer. 



LIBRARY. 



In my last report I pointed out that the lists prepared in accordance 

 with the plans formulated by the Secretary, detailed in my report for 

 1887-8S, had all been written for. 



In further continuance of this work, which is never ending, I have 

 accordingly employed the new manuscript list of the learned societies^ 

 of the world in the Bureau of International Exchanges. Letters 

 have been written with the gratifying result that 299 new exchanges 

 were entered into, and 155 defective series were entirely or partially 

 completed. 



It has been the policy of the Institution from its inception to endeavor 

 to have as complete a set as possible of the transactions of learned 

 societies and periodicals, and it is my desire that this collection should 

 continue to be as complete as the resources of the Institution render 

 possible. 



The project of the Eoyal Society for the preparing of a bibliography 

 of science, beginning with the year 1900, referred to in my report for 

 1895, resulted in the calling by the British Government of a biblio- 

 graphical conference in London in July, 1890. An invitation to send 

 delegates to the conference was extended to the United States, along 

 with the other nations which it was presumed were interested. 



The matter having been referred to me by the Secretary of State, I 

 had much pleasure in suggesting that the United States participate in 

 the conference, and in recommending Dr. John S. Billings, United 

 States Army, retired, director of the New York Public Library, and 

 Prof. Simon Newcoinb, United States Navy, Superintendent of the 

 Nautical Almanac, as the delegates on behalf of the United States. 

 There is reason to hope that most fruitful results will proceed from 

 this conference. 



The revised edition of the Catalogue of Scientific and Technical 

 Periodicals (1605-1882), published by the Institution in 1885, which I 

 stated in my last report was being brought down to 1895, is now com- 

 pleted and in the hands of the printer. It is expected that it will be 

 issued during the course of the coming year. Like the first edition, it 

 has been prepared under the direction of Dr. H. C. Bolton. 



It is confidently expected that the new building of the Library of 

 Congress will be completed during the coming year, and that adequate 

 provision will be made for the reception of the Smithsonian deposit, 

 and a special reading room provided. 



HODGKINS FUND, 



As stated in my last report, the prizes offered by the Institution for 

 important discoveries in connection with the composition of atmos- 



